The New Winds

Sakura, again, was back at the forge after a very quick bath and food. She had left out her mochi this time, expecting Zashi to come by once again.

The weapon was starting to take form now, you could see the edging of a tanto in the Jade. She had also been careful to gather all the dust and keep that to a side so it could be used for their side project later.

D3 Hare weaponsmith/Strength+vp. TN20: 7d10o10k4 33 Exceptional success!

Ichiro was free wandering around the dojo when he heard the sounds of the forge and was slightly curious to see what was being worked on. He had no experience in making things but perhaps that would change while he was here, making weapons would be a useful skill or at least knowing the basics.

He entered the forge and raised an eyebrow at the small crane girl hammering away at the metal. He didn't say anything, not wanting to interrupt her concentration but he settled and leaned against the wall while he observed.

The giant Moto would see that the girl wasn't working with steel at all - the glimmer of green coming off the weapon showed that it appeared to be made of some precious gem, most likely Jade.

As Sakura was humming away, she hadn't noticed the arrival of the boy.

The Moto squinted for a moment seeing the material she is working with he frowns a little "Why are you making a weapon out of jade? Just to look pretty?" He asked abruptly hos deep voice carrying over her humming.

"Wha?!" Sakura jumped at the voice, not knowing this one. She turned around, wide-eyed, and then bowed quickly.

"You're not Zashi-san! I mean, um, hello...w-welcome to the forge" she looked up, and up, and up. He was huge compared to her "I'm Doji Sakura. As for this, it was as much a challenge to see how if it was possible, it's not going to be great in a fight because Jade isn't the strongest substance, but it will look beautiful hai."

"Plus fighting insubstantial enemies. And this might chip, but the edge will never lose its potency against those vulnerable to it." Zashi's waves but is dwarfed by the mountain of a person in front of me.

"Morning Sakura-san"

Doji Sakura wrote: ↑

Sun Jun 28, 2020 8:40 pm

"Wha?!" Sakura jumped at the voice, not knowing this one. She turned around, wide-eyed, and then bowed quickly.

"You're not Zashi-san! I mean, um, hello...w-welcome to the forge" she looked up, and up, and up. He was huge compared to her "I'm Doji Sakura. As for this, it was as much a challenge to see how if it was possible, it's not going to be great in a fight because Jade isn't the strongest substance, but it will look beautiful hai."

He nodded to her answer his curiosity satisfied his deep brown eyes shifting to meet her own lighter colored ones and holding them "Moto Ichiro. Figured you were a Doji, didn't figure you for a weaponsmith." He replied back.

Zashi wrote: ↑

Sun Jun 28, 2020 9:41 pm

"Plus fighting insubstantial enemies. And this might chip, but the edge will never lose its potency against those vulnerable to it." Zashi's waves but is dwarfed by the mountain of a person in front of me.

"Morning Sakura-san"

The new arrival made Ichiro break eye contact but his eyes lingered on hers for a few moments before he looked down at Zashi. And now it was getting crowded for his taste.

Zashi's arrival helped break Sakura from all the staring, and she quickly bowed to Zashi.

"Oh, Zashi-san, good morning! I've got the mochi here ready" she motioned to her bag, then looked back to Irchio with a smile.

"Nice to meet you Moto-san! I trained with the Kakita, the most prestigious artisans and weaponsmiths in the empire. And I'll be the best one of all! I prefer to work with gems though, they're so much more interesting and difficult to work with."

"Yesssss mochi!" Zashi perches next to Sakura, eyeing the work that is going on. "I forgot about these sugared plums, I thought I would share!" Zashi pulls out a small box as well, offering it to the Doji.

"It's coming along"

Doji Sakura wrote: ↑

Mon Jun 29, 2020 1:27 am

Zashi's arrival helped break Sakura from all the staring, and she quickly bowed to Zashi.

"Oh, Zashi-san, good morning! I've got the mochi here ready" she motioned to her bag, then looked back to Irchio with a smile.

"Nice to meet you Moto-san! I trained with the Kakita, the most prestigious artisans and weaponsmiths in the empire. And I'll be the best one of all! I prefer to work with gems though, they're so much more interesting and difficult to work with."

"But far less useful." He replied simply as he settled to watch her work.

"Oooh, sugared plums!" Sakuras attention was on the sweets quickly cleaning her hands then taking one of the sweets "thank you! And hai, it shouldn't be too much longer I think."

She frowned at Ichiros comment, looking back at him.

"Less useful for what? It's not for a war Moto-san. I'm an artist."

He shrugged "an artist can build things that are beautiful displays of their skill and still practical." Was his simple reply "with talent like yours you could make great weapons that also look good, form and function together. Making something that just exists to be looked at seems like a bit of a waste no?"

"A waste?" Zashi offers a shake of the head. "Like I said, it's specialized. Perhaps narrow in application, but superior against a single foe. That is one the hallmarks of Crane craftsmanship as I understand it, neh Sakura?"

There was a rare look of fire in Sakuras eyes, and she stood tall in front of the Moto. Well, as tall as the little Doji could. She was clearly angry.

"One, Jade is one of the most difficult substances to work with. If you are able to prove yourself working with Jade, then normal steel will be much easier. Two, skills learnt with this will enhance working with standard weapons. Three, art is never a waste, and if you think art is a waste then you are the waste. Waste of a samurai. Don't come into the artists work area and insult their work Unicorn. I bet you couldn't even make an origami swan without ripping the paper, and you're here making comments about my work? Go away."

Zashi wrote: ↑

Mon Jun 29, 2020 3:14 am

"A waste?" Zashi offers a shake of the head. "Like I said, it's specialized. Perhaps narrow in application, but superior against a single foe. That is one the hallmarks of Crane craftsmanship as I understand it, neh Sakura?"

"I was speaking of working with gems not her current work." he said clarifying "Jade is a precious substance a weapon made of it is odd but as you say has its applications."

Doji Sakura wrote: ↑

Mon Jun 29, 2020 3:20 am

There was a rare look of fire in Sakuras eyes, and she stood tall in front of the Moto. Well, as tall as the little Doji could. She was clearly angry.

"One, Jade is one of the most difficult substances to work with. If you are able to prove yourself working with Jade, then normal steel will be much easier. Two, skills learnt with this will enhance working with standard weapons. Three, art is never a waste, and if you think art is a waste then you are the waste. Waste of a samurai. Don't come into the artists work area and insult their work Unicorn. I bet you couldn't even make an origami swan without ripping the paper, and you're here making comments about my work? Go away."

He kept his face neutral as he regarded the crane girl "You as well missed what I said and I might be ignorant in fancy arts but you also have much to learn about being a samurai, you let your emotions control you rather than controlling and using them. I asked a question, I shared my thoughts about working with gems, making jewelry when you clearly have the skill to make fine weapons. Also I fail to see the connection between folding paper and smithing weapons I may not be able to fold paper well but if given enough time I bet I could make a good blade."

"I actually found your craft interesting but you are far too sensitive if a simple question makes you that mad."

"You never once spoke about making jewelry" Sakura shook her head "you also called my work a waste because it's not for war. Not everything is for war, and a samurai should know that."

She stepped away, closer to Zashi.

"As for making a sword? I don't think you could. The connection between folding paper and making weapons is the touch. A careful, coordinated touch. If one cannot fold paper they will also not have the careful touch to fold steel."

Doji Sakura wrote: ↑

Mon Jun 29, 2020 4:30 am

"You never once spoke about making jewelry" Sakura shook her head "you also called my work a waste because it's not for war. Not everything is for war, and a samurai should know that."

She stepped away, closer to Zashi.

"As for making a sword? I don't think you could. The connection between folding paper and making weapons is the touch. A careful, coordinated touch. If one cannot fold paper they will also not have the careful touch to fold steel."

"You said you preferred working with gems because they were harder to work with I was saying they were less useful. Something that exists just to be looked at will be less useful than something that is good to look at and fits a function. Like your blade here, it has function like this one said" he motioned to Zashi "and I bet it'll look good when its done. good. But a sapphire pendant while eye catching doesn't do anything but look good. I never said everything had to be for war. You are giving my words meaning they did not have. A nice tea set looks good and has function, well crafted plates look good and have function, even well crafted clothing can do something besides just look good. and maybe i put meaning into your words too, when you said working with gems I assumed you meant jewelry which is what i see as kind of a waste not your current work."

"That belies an assumption, and bad ones Moto-san." Zashi frowns, disliking the tone. "There is power in symbols. In fact we give them that power. If that pendant you mention is just a rock, then it is no different than a pebble on the ground. In some ways, it is, when is comes to slinging it at a foe. But invested in the symbol of authority of the Emperor as a Sapphire champion it means something. To deny that is to court folly." Zashi gestures to Sakura

"What she does and pushes to push a vast amount of joy into gives meaning to stone. It is her own meaning that she gives as investiture , and no I do not like you besmirching it"

There is a cold fury in the redhead's eyes

The Moto simply shrugged "We all have our own thoughts on this. I believe something that can serve a practical purpose is always more important than something that is just for looking nice. Not every pendant is a symbol of authority most are just pretty rocks set into metal that look nice. I don't dislike that it exists but i do believe the energy could have gone into something more useful." the fury in the smaller boy's eyes was not missed simply uncared for.

"As for Doji-san I have complimented her craft and her skills merely expressed an opinion on something she brought up. If you both wish to take offense at something like that it is your choice."

"But you brought it up" Sakura sighed "you just want to keep blaming us. There's one thing that you still haven't acknowledged though; you're in my creation zone. Do you think it's fine to offer insults to the world in an artisans workshop, or should you be more respectful? And before you yet again say I wasn't insulting I was just saying it's not useful, yes that is insulting. So please apologize."